MANSFIELD, Ohio – The department of theater and performing arts at St. Peter’s Catholic Parish and School is booming.
From elementary-specific plays, which were implemented for the first time last year, to sizable parish-wide musicals, more than 120 people collaborate to create live art together in the St. Peter’s community, according to department director Jim Cox.
The success of the elementary production last year along with student and parent support garnered enough demand to have another performance this year.
Likewise, a desire for more opportunities among students has allowed St. Peter’s Junior High School to add its name to the bill, putting on junior high-specific plays of its own for the first time.
Cox said he isn’t aware of another school district doing theater productions at all three levels.
“It was not done through some sort of big strategic plan, where we said we wanted to put all these things in place at a certain time,” Cox said. “It really was done based on the excitement level.”
The junior high will put on two plays – a satire called “Everything But” by Alan Haehnel and “We’re Not Making This Play Up As We Go – Honest ” by Bradley Walton. The performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 25 and 26 at St. Pete’s, and 2015 Spartans grad Claire Phillips is directing both.
“We have this situation where kids from elementary school are all excited, they’ve done their play, and the kids in high school are going to do the high school play,” Cox said.
That would have left junior high students waiting a few years before being able to put on a performance again.
“We did this elementary play last year, and we’ve got a bunch of kids who are very excited about continuing theater long before they get into high school,” Cox said. “So it represents a groundswell of interest.”
The elementary play this year is “The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb” and will debut at 7 p.m. Nov. 13 and 14 and 3 pm. Nov. 15 – all at St. Peter’s.
“To get a hold of kids at an elementary age and have them develop confidence, analytical skills, this ability to guide a situation, and to do it in a way where they are supportive of one another, why not start them early on?” Cox said.
St. Pete’s junior Sophia Winters, who is heavily involved in the theater program, agreed, adding that most kids in high school now weren’t able to start until ninth grade.
“I’m glad that those kids are getting a chance to start younger so that they get more experience and build up,” she said. “That way they’ll be even better when they’re sophomores, juniors, seniors, and they’ll be amazing.”
Winters and the other high school theater students will put on “Twigs,” by George Furth this year for the high school play. Performances are set for 7 p.m. Oct. 16 and 17 and 3 p.m. Oct 18 at St. Pete’s.
“I think we made it look fun – we made it look exciting,” Winters said of the program’s growth. “And we went back to school, and we talked about it.”
That enthusiasm sparked more students to want to participate, she added.
“Kids see that, and they see how much fun we’re having – then they get excited about it, and they want to have fun in it, so more kids come out.”
Similarly, freshman Brandon Dixon, who is performing in “Twigs” with Winters, said doing theater gives people experiences and something for him to put on his resume.
“And I also love getting out there and having fun and showing people what you’re all about,” he said. “Because when you get out there on that stage, everything that’s inside of you that’s been building up just bursts out, and you feel amazing.”
Part of the draw for students is the cultivation of creativity within the program, according to Cox, which helps each student gain confidence and an ability to combine otherwise unrelated topics into one cohesive piece.
“People are allowed to experiment, to fail, to try something, and to make it their own theater,” he said. “It’s less about me or any other director and very much about them.”
In addition, he said the skills students gain from practicing theater translates into other life endeavors.
“If people can see that their personality, their experience, their visions play into this and they can bring those to life,” Cox said. “Bringing your visions to life is exactly what we want to do in business, it’s exactly what we want to do in education, as a reporter, as a singer, as an entrepreneur.”
In April, the parish will put on “Music Man,” a musical by Franklin Lacey and Meredith Willson. The time and dates for the musical are 7 p.m. April 8, 9, 15, and 17, and 3 p.m. April 10 and 18. All performances are at St. Peter’s.
The department of theater and performing arts is a nonprofit organization. Anyone interested in giving to the program can mail their tax-deductible donations to St. Peter’s Theater Performing and Performing Arts at 104 W. First St., Mansfield, Ohio 44902.
“We’ve been in the black financially, and we get wonderful support from parents coming in to help with the kids or the set or the marketing,” Cox said. “That’s a beautiful thing.”
“To get a hold of kids at an elementary age and have them develop confidence, analytical skills, this ability to guide a situation, and to do it in a way where they are supportive of one another, why not start them early on?” Jim Cox said.
